Page 29 of Unspoken Love

He stood by the door, the yellow porch light casting shadows across his jawline. His features were still, unreadable, but his eyes—they were open, waiting.

“I’ve never had a good example of what ‘more’ is supposed to look like,” she admitted slowly. “I’ve heard from my older siblings all about how my dad destroyed my mom. My sister’s been through hell trying to protect her daughter from a man who only cared about power and control. I don’t know what it looks like to build something with someone and not lose yourself in the process.”

Nate’s brows furrowed, his hand resting against the doorframe. “Faye…”

“I don’t mean to unload all this,” she said, laughing softly but without humor. “It’s just, the idea of more is beautiful in theory. But I’ve never trusted it. And I’m terrified of getting it wrong.”

Silence stretched between them for a beat, then two.

He crossed the small space to her slowly, giving her every chance to move back.

But she didn’t.

When he stopped in front of her, his hand came up and gently cupped the side of her face. His thumb brushed beneath her eye like he was memorizing her.

“I don’t want to scare you,” he said quietly. “And I don’t expect everything at once. Hell, I don’t even know what everything looks like for us yet. But I do know that when I’m around you, I’m different. I like who I am with you. I feel honest.”

Her heart twisted. The way he looked at her, it wasn’t filled with expectation or pressure. It was simply open. Real.

She leaned into his palm slightly. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Nate.”

“Neither do I.” His lips curved into a small, warm smile. “But maybe we don’t have to figure it all out tonight.”

She nodded slowly.

“I just needed you to know,” he added, lowering his hand. “This isn’t just a fling for me. You’re not a phase.”

Her throat felt tight. She managed a soft, “Okay.”

Then he surprised her by leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her lips. She leaned into his touch, dreaming, wishing it would go on much longer. But, just as quickly, he was gone.

“Want me to walk you out?”

“Yeah,” she said after a breath.

They stepped out the front door together into the cooling night air, the sky now dark and scattered with stars. He walked her to her car in silence, a companionable quiet that didn’t demand more than she could give.

As she climbed into her car and started the engine, he leaned on the doorframe for a moment.

“You know,” he said, voice lower now, almost a murmur, “for what it’s worth, I liked you kissing me. And if you ever do it again, I’m afraid I won’t have the power to stop you.”

The butterflies in her stomach took flight all over again.

She smiled, heart lighter. “Noted.”

As she drove off into the night, somehow the weight on her chest was a little lighter—and a flicker of something unfamiliar but welcome bloomed quietly in its place.

Hope.

Chapter Ten

It took almost a week for him to finish sanding the floors so he could finally try out the paint gun. In that time, Parker and Palmer’s crews had replaced all the windows in the house, including installing very large French doors off the dining room and in the master bedroom. He would start demo on the back deck once the inside was a little more comfortable to live in.

Faye had been by each evening after she got off work to help him pick paint, tile, and other necessities.

She had helped him pick colors to use in each room of the house for now, including a soft beige color for the main rooms that was neutral and classy.

She’d promised to spend the next two days, which she had off work, helping him paint.